MR HOGG'S LAPSE.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 143, 15 June 1909, Page 5

MR HOGG'S LAPSE.

FURTHER PRESS COMMENTS. ALTERNATIVES FOR SIR JOSEPH WARD. [from our correspondent.] CxiRISTCHURCH, June 14. To-night's Evening News says:— After what occurred on Saturday, two courses are open to Sir Joseph Waa-d: (1) To. ask the Hon. Mr Hogg to withdraw from the Ministry; (2) To allow him to remain, and share the responsibility for the views and administrative actions of a man utterly unfitted for the responsibilities of a Minister of the Crown. As loyalty to his friends is one of Sir Joseph's most conspicuous traits, we do not think he will go back on Mr Hogg at this juncture, at any rate; and yet he must know that if the latter continues to participate in the deliberations of Cabinet it will cause the greatest dissatisfaction throughout the country. The New Zealand Times's report of the Hon. Mr Hogg's speecli on Saturday is as follows:—The Hon. A. W. Hogg (Minister for Labour), answer-; ing the leader of ,the "Opposition in ■; regard to <his appointment, said he was not tainted with covetousness and he never aspired to positions of emolu- | ment or dignity unless he was sent for, and this was why he occupied the ' position described by Mr Massey as "the fly in amber." He was extreme- ' ly sorry that there should be men and women in lack of employment. Depression had been hanging over the

Old Country, Australia, and New Zealand, but he was glad that no attempt had been made by the Government to reduce wages. Notwithstanding Opposition assertions, our industries were being multiplied, and the amount of capital paid in wages had been doubled within the last few years. The member for Palmerston had been a retailer of Tory ice-cream ever since he had been in public life. Ten or eleven years ago the roads were thronged with swaggers, and on the settlers gates were "notices that there was no more accommodation for them. The trouble was that too much money was going into speculative companies, banks, insurance, coal companies, and River Plate companies. How much of this went to.pay wages to producers? The men who realised fat dividends from the land were execrated by the Government and the people. They were delimited to see the swagman again on the road, because they could get cheaper labour, but he hoped that as a result of the Premier's trip to England that opportunity would be cut short They hated the Government because it was fighting monopoly. Could not the member for Wairarapa tell the House something about monopolv p He was an excellent farmer, out some of his friends occupied sufficient land to support a small community.' But there would have to be a redistribution. The . t -.people would have their rights as sure as night followed day, and the land question would be'brought up again ma more formidable form than ever. Why did he believe in leasehold? Because he was against monopoly, and was sorry it was not in the criminal code. If the land was only properly distributed every man could find employment, and no one would be in want. He had never advocated an inconvertible paper issue, but he had approved the suo-o-estion adopted by enlightened countries which had a State note is^ue In Canada there was power to issuo Dominion notes to any amount as legal tender, with a definite. reserve of 25 per cent, for redemption. We issued postal notes, and this was only going a step further, and making capital more Plent;*™*-